Rectifier stacks



Sept. 25, 1956 A. s. VANDERH OOF 2,764,717

RECTIFIER STACKS Filed May 6, 195,3

' INVENTOR. ALTON VANDERHOOF ATTORNEY United States Patent RECTIFIER STACKS Irvington, N. J., assignor to Elecf Alton S. Vanderhoo f New York This invention is a continuation in part of my copending application, U. S. Serial Number 301,180, now Patent No. 2,720,616, and relates to the stacking of electric or electronic components, more specifically to the construction and assembly of stacks of disc or plate-shaped circuit components.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a stack having a maximum surface of heat conduction so as to produce a maximum of output in a minimum of space.

Another object of the invention is to hold a stack of electronic disc or plate-shaped elements between peripheral bars or posts which in turn are held together at their ends by a single element or member having openings frictionally engaging the ends of these posts.

A further object of the invention is a locking element or member having openings for attaching therein the peripheral posts or holders of stacked elements, the openings being so formed as to permit of being slipped relatively easily over the posts while presenting a relatively great resistance against slipping off or being slipped off.

Still another object of the invention is to make one of the edge portions of the openings in a locking element slightly bent out or to permit such edge portions to be bent out under control of their own elasticity and slipped over the ends of holding posts.

Still a further object of the invention is to make the openings in a locking strip slightly smaller than the corresponding supporting portion of the holding bar or post, so that when the end of one of these posts is slipped into an opening, at least one edge portion is permitted to bend out and to grip outwardly into the surface of the holding post, thus opposing any movement in opposite direction and preventing any undesired displacement of the holding post with respect to the locking element, thereby excluding disassembly elements supported on such holding posts.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the drawings annexed herewith in which Fig. 1 represents a plane view of a combination lockstrip and electrical terminal as applied to the mounting of disc-shaped electronic elements, such as rectifier plates stacked together in superimposed array.

Fig. 2 represents a side view partly in section of the lockstrip together with the posts on which it is mounted and which in turn support rectifier plates in superimposed array.

Fig. 3 represents a plane view of one of the rectifier plates.

In Fig. 1, part 1 represents a locking strip of material having a high recovery such as tempered steel or phosphorous bronze having holes 2, 3 pierced at a predetermined distance, depending on size and number of stacked elements, which permits the locking of the peripheral post holding the stacked rectifier plates (not shown) and at the same time forms an electrical connection of the terminals of the rectifier plates with each other, and with an outer terminal to be connected to the circuit (not shown).

2,764,717 Patented Sept. 25, 1956 ICE Holes 2, 3, are shown to be of square shapes adapted receiver end portions 4, 5 of holding or supporting posts or bars 6, 7, which in turn therebetween hold a number of rectifier plates, of which only 8, 9, 10 are shown. Posts 6, 7 have attached thereto or formed therewith a common basis schematically indicated at 11.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rectifier cells 3, 9, 16 are provided with spacers such as shown at 16 and 1.7 respectively and notched on the edges as indicated more clearly in the above mentioned copending application, so that all the rectifier elements can be safely confined and received between the yoke or posts 6, 7, and 11.

The free end portions of posts 6 and 7 are adapted to be pushed in or fit into holes 2, 3 of lockstrip 1.

Since holes 2, 3 are slightly smaller than the corresponding dimensions or" portions 4 and 5, a well defined frictional attachment is assured.

Such attachment is enhanced in accordance with the invention by using the inherent flexibility or elasticity of lockstrip 1 and the edge portions of holes 2, 3.

As more clearly apparent from Fig. 2 which represents a section view along lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, lockstrip 1 is provided with at least one edge portion along each of the holes 2, and 3, which is slightly curved or bent out as indicated in Fig. 2 at 12, 13 respectively. This will permit the corresponding surfaces of post ends 4, 5 when engaging edge portions 12, 13 respectively to cause these bent out edge sections or portions 12, 13 to dig into portions 14, 15 of the surfaces or sides of post ends 4 and 5 respectively. Thus, once posts 6 and 7 have been slipped or pushed with their end portions 4, 5 of posts 6, 7, the relative position of posts 6, 7 and of the elements supported thereon, is secured.

After such assembly, it will be practically impossible for lockstrip 1 to move or be moved into an outward direction and out of engagement with post ends 4, 5.

Between posts 6 and 7 the rectifier plates or any other disc or plate-shaped electrical or mechanical elements are arranged in otherwise well-known manner predeterminedly spaced as apparent for example from the abovernentioned copending patent application, or in any other manner known or unknown, without exceeding the scope of this invention.

Bars or posts 6, 7 although shown to have a rectangular cross-section can have any desired cross-section and consequently the holes 2, 3 in lockstrip 1 can have any desired shape, round or half-round or elliptic, all this without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

The edges 18, 19 of holes 2 and 3 are preferably lanced or cut in as shown at 16, so that the sections 12 and 13 will form an angle. The holes thus produced at 2, 3 respectively have dimensions which are slightly smaller than ends 4, 5 of the posts 6, 7 adapted as already stated above to receive them. Thus sections 12., 13 form elastic prongs which while allowing strip 1 to be pushed over end portions 4, 5 with relatively little elfort, will resist any force exerted in opposite direction indicated by arrow 20 due to the fact that the sharp edges of prongs 12, 1.3 will be biting or digging into the inner surfaces of posts 6, 7 while being retained at the same time from slipping outward by the outer edges of holes 2, 3. Thus all parts stacked between holding posts 6, 7 are automatically and safely locked.

Nor is the invention limited to the number, type or peripheral arrangement of the holding posts shown and described.

I claim:

1. In a stack of spaced elements, peripheral posts in the form of a yoke made of a single piece of U-shaped form supporting said elements in spaced position and a longitudinal locking member having openings which are 3 slightly smaller than the open ends of said post and fitting over said post ends in such a manner that edges of said opening dig into the surface of said post ends, thus preventing their removal from said post and disassembly of the stack.

2. Stack according to claim 1 comprising a flat locking strip and wherein at least one of said edge portions is slightly bent out of the plane of the locking strip.

3. Stack according to claim 1 wherein adjacent edges of openings are bent out in the direction of the free end of the post so as to dig into said post end and to prevent removal of said locking member in the direction of the free ends of said post.

4. Stack according to claim 1 Where there are two posts diametrically arranged with respect to the central axis of the stack, and having a common base.

5. Stack according to claim 1 wherein said locking member is formed of highly tempered material.

6. Stacl; according to claim 1 wherein said locking member is formed of electric conducting material.

7. Stack according to claim 1 wherein said posts have notches permitting the stacking of disc elements in spaced position.

8. In a stack of spaced elements, a pair of peripheral posts supporting said elements in spaced position and a longitudinal locking member having a pair of openings at a predetermined distance which are slightly smaller than the open ends of said posts and have inner edges bent out in a direction toward the free end of each post and fitting over said post ends in such a manner as to dig into the surface of said post ends, thus preventing their removal from said post and disassembly of the stack.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSIATES PATENTS 

